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2009
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The ABRHS
Class of 1978
Thirty + One Reunion
Our Thirty + One Reunion was held on
July 11, 2009
3 pm to 8 pm
at Nashoba Valley Ski Area, Westford, MA.
$40 per person
Send Us Your
Reunion Photos
Email digital photos for the Web site as attachments to Timothy Whelan, timothy@fireflystudio.com
Send Us Your Comments
If you attended the Reunion, we'd love to read your comments about the party. Classmates wrote about the 20th reunion and 25th reunion -- read these as an example and send us yours!
Successful? Are you kidding me? An utter failure is more like it! Everything was going along fine and I relaxed and started to enjoy the reunion sometime after that last raffle prize was given away (sorry, Boxboroians... next time, I promise!). I had a great time talking to so many who were there, but too numerous to mention by name.
Okay, a few names: Wendy Wells -- an absolute pleasure speaking with you and the very best of luck on your future endeavors -- you know what I mean! Sam Phillips and Joel Gates -- I'm so glad you guys are still close to Acton and can manage to show up for every one of these. Seems I've been seeing your smiling faces since the early '70s! Tim Regan and your lovely wife (sorry, I've already spaced your name! ;-)), it was great catching up and having some laughs with the both of you! Wayne Clark, err, did Wayne even make it this year? I don't recall seeing him at all! Finally, Dewey White! Dewey might even be up for the longest trip prize, but I haven't even looked that up yet. Seems it was a last minute opportunity that brought him to the area and we were so very fortunate have him in attendance! Thanks so much for finding the time, Dewey! It was great to check in and see how you are doing! A quick stop at Crossroads before heading home and some more entertaining conversation with Peg and Dori Richter! A great day and evening.
So, having a great time, then on the way home in the car, it hit me -- One of those raffle prizes was supposed to go to the classmate who travelled the furthest to attend the reunion! David Putnam, please accept my humblest apologies! You were destined for a token of the committee's appreciation, but no, I totally forgot... probably gave it to Sue Tatem or Kevin Page or one of those other raffle prize hogs. Actually, I'm sure Greg Green will be more than happy to give up the pink, distressed ABHRS t-shirt. I'll forward him your address for the convenience.
Fortunately for me, the rest of the committee plus a couple of same day volunteers really pulled it off and the rest of the reunion went without a hitch! I'd like to echo Tim's words below and thank EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS no matter how little you think it was, including Waino Kangas who arrived early and made himself available for whatever needed to be done.
See you all in '12 with any luck at all!
-- David Straub
Thanks to the Reunion Committee
and its Helpers!
Our reunion was made possible by the efforts of several fine classmates who took up the cause this year and produced an outstanding event! They are:
Dave Straub
Dave has been a key contributor to every reunion, but this year Dave led the effort by providing head-honcho leadership and coordinating all of the committee's efforts. Dave tracked every detail and made numerous arrangements all by himself. If it wasn't assigned to someone else, Dave saw the task through. He did a tremendous job, and we are all very grateful to this fine man for throwing one hell of a party! Dave expresses his gratitude here to all the committee members who showed up early for the set-up. For his trouble, Dave received our endless praise and a small gift: A CD of Aerosmith's "Toys in the Attic", donated by Mary Alex Clancy, which will replace his long-lost vinyl copy of the legendary recording. Listen with pleasure Dave, and remember: it couldn't have been done without you on point -- you ARE the man! Thank you from the entire class for stepping up to this huge role and doing it so very well!
Jim Tiernan
Jim was again a crucial contributor to this event's success through his relentless pursuit of classmate contact information and support of Dave's efforts. Jim spent countless hours updating our list, coordinating eVite blasts and making telephone calls. Countless hours. Jim also handled the venue arrangements and the food and beverage planning. Great job Jim -- you rock! -- and our we are so grateful to you for your enormous contribution to make this happen. Jim gets to revisit the Yes classic "Fragile," donated by Tim Yokum with a "Thank You!" insert signed by all of the reunion guests. We'll say it again: Thank you Jim!
Pete von Jess
If there's a spark that lights the fire, it's Pete von Jess. When the rest of us foundered, Pete answered the call and made this reunion a certainty through sheer willpower. Pete provided the inspiration, financial backing and leadership to get the ball rolling on this reunion. Pete was absolutely committed to seeing this through, and was a fantastic MC at the party. Pete received a copy of the Eagles "Very Best of Eagles" to replace the early Greatest Hits release Martha Jameson gave him in 12th grade -- where are you Martha? The CD probably cost him the hundreds of dollars he committed to the reunion's income statement, offset by a very generous anonymous donation from a classmate who is smokin' hot and was a friend to everyone in the class.
Maryann Morse Penniman
Maryann has been the driving force and near-sole contributor to all of our reunions since the Booze Cruise. It would take pages and pages to list her accomplishments for us. She has gone above and beyond for the class, and no words could express our gratitude for each of the two fine parties she put together for us. Yet, she was a major contributor this time also, providing planning guidance, producing and sending out our mailing, and numerous other tasks she handles with her usual dependability. Thank you Maryann! She has a new CD to add to her massive classic rock collection, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," donated by Scott Fredrickson.
Alison Preston Conlon
Always an inspiration, Alison contributed this time by providing strategic support, spiritual guidance and encouragement at the kickoff meetings. Ali was key to past reunions and knows the work involved. She procured the recognition gifts for this year's committee members and will always be at the core of the committees efforts. Alison received Neil Young's "Greatest Hits" CD contributed by Tim Whelan. Thank you Alison! This reunion wouldn't have happened without you!
Tim Whelan
Since 1997 Tim has maintained the class Web site. With Maryann & Dave, Tim was key to the 20th reunion effort, bringing class reunion information on-line and providing electronic registration facilities. Tim worked with them to create an electronic database of class contacts and promoted the reunion from his remote locations of DC and Kansas City. Jethro Tull's "Aqualung," donated by Alison Preston Conlon, warmed his heart and is the perfect reminder of the old days, and the satisfaction of getting us all together means the world to him!
Karen Welland Cronin
Karen knocked herself out this year she to provide an inviting setting for us to enjoy. Karen spent hours and hours creating tabletop vignettes and storyboards of classic ABRHS imagery which inspired many recollections and stories. And balloons: lots and lots of balloons! The site looked fantastic Karen! She also performed many other tasks -- nice work Karen -- thank you! To express our appreciation to Karen, a CD of her favorite Eagles, "Greatest Hits" was donated by an anonymous classmate who once dated Tim Whelan. Her name rhymes with "it's now!" but she's totally, totally anonymous. We missed you, anonymous.
Carole Harrison Bernstein
When the plea went out for Reunion Committee Reinforcements in February, Carole answered along with Karen and Colleen! Carole jumped in with quality, practical ideas as well as a willingness to do whatever was necessary. Carole called dozens of classmates and manhandled the reservation list. She picked up balloons and brought tables for registration and raffles. Finally, Carole is taking over the class' financial affairs as we move ahead! Thank you Carole! John Hoover and Brenda Belmont Dargan donated the CD Aerosmith's "Greatest Hits" for Carol to enjoy. She was a huge asset to the crew!
Colleen MacDonald O'Claire
Colleen also answered the call for Reunion Committee reinforcements when eight months of planning had begun to take their toll on Dave, Jim and Maryann. Colleen, provided great enthusiasm, ideas and a willingness to chip in however she was needed. Colleen placed calls to classmates, ran the 'iDoor Prize' table at the reunion, and donated two of our raffle prizes including ballroom dance lessons in accordance with her passion for the art! She received a Queen CD, "A Night at the Opera" donated by Rick Sette. From all of us, thank you Colleen!
Scott Harris
Scott kept us rockin' all night with an amazing sound system and an incredible play list of new and old tunes we loved. Scott arrived early, geared up the event with his system nearly single- handedly. Lots and lots of loading and unloading. Your work didn't go unnoticed -- the musical ambience made the party Scott -- we are so grateful! Scott received Kiss' "Greatest Hits" as a thank you from the class, donated by Elaine Withrow Stevens.
Sue Tatem
Sue worked with Tim to get the reunion info out to the nearly 70 (and growing!) class members who are on Facebook. Sue has committed to help administer our business on the social networking site, which offers the peer-to-peer communications network, coupled with an acceptable privacy policy, that the class has been looking for to provide a means for classmates to communicate with one another. The network is a dream come true for Tim at Firefly. The class site will continue to offer class & reunion information, but Facebook is the perfect channel for communicating directly with each other. Thank you Sue for setting this up! Sue received a gift card from the entire class along with our many thanks!
Sandy Macauley Campbell & Seth Campbell
An extra "Thank You!" goes to Sandy Macauley Campbell and her husband Seth Campbell for arriving early and manning the raffle table, soliciting hundreds of additional dollars from our attending classmates. Sandy has been a critical member of previous reunion committees and, as a result, has earned an automatic lifetime membership to all future reunion committees! Thank you guys: you were a HUGE help!
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